Match box container and holder



May 5, 1931. G. A. ANDERSON MATCH BOX CONTAINER AND HOLDER Filed July 28, 1950 Patented May 5, 1931 GUST A. ANDERSON, OF ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS MATCH IBGX CONTAINER AND HOLDER Application filed July 28,

My invention relates to a combined container and holder for boxes of matches of the so-called safety type wherein a number of match boxes are supported in a container and Q a single box of matches is secured in an open position on a holder attached to the container.

In recent years safety matches have replaced the older type of matches to a substantial extent. There are, however, a number of uses in which the older type of match maintains its position. Such is the case where matches are employed for lighting gas stoves etc., in the ordinary kitchen. The reason for this is doubtless the fact that under ordinary circumstances two hands are required to light a safety match, one hand being required to hold the box, the other to strike the match against the side. The same is true in cigar stores and the like where it is desirable to provide matches for one purpose or another. Numerous devices have been provided for holding the box of safety matches in an open or partially open position whereby a match may be extracted from the box and lighted against the side with the use of but a single hand, such devices being common on ash trays and the like. Other devices have been provided wherein there exists a container for holding a number of boxes of matches and a holder for holding a single box in an open position. These devices have been subject to a number of serious disadvantages among which is the high cost of manufacture. Many of the devices have been complicated in structure and a large proportion have been designed to dispense a box of matches upon the insertion of a suitable coin. A second class of these devices has been made 0 of such design as to permit their manufacture at a substantially lower cost but these have not had sufficient strength to withstand the severe usage to which they may be subjected, the holder usually being so designed as to be readily bent out of shape by the severe blows imparted by carelessly striking the matches against the box.

I have, therefore, aimed to provide a combined container and holder for safety match boxes which may be manufactured at a cost 1930. Serial No. 471,210.

substantially lower than those heretofore known.

I have further aimed to provide a device of this character having greater strength than other devices of this character heretofore known.

Another object of-the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein the match boxes in the container are visible so that one may tell at a glance the number of boxes remaining therein.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character wherein the act of striking a match Will not cause the holder to become bent out of shape.

A still further object is to provide a combined container and holder of one piece sheet metal construction.

Other objects and attendant advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical perspective of the combined container and holder;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the device showing a box of matches in position upon the holder and Fig. 3 is a view of the stamped sheet metal before the folding and fastening operations have been carried out.

Referring first to Fig. 1 the device consists of a rectangular tube-like container having a back 6, sides 7 and 8 integral therewith and front panels 9 and 10 extending a portion of the distance across the front of the container parallel with the back 6, the panel 9 being integral with the side 7 and the panel 10 being integral with the side 8. A bottom 11 is integral with the back 6 and is provided with upstanding side edges 12 and 13 arranged to rest against the outer surface of the sides 7 and 8 at the bottom end thereof. The bottom 11 may be secured to the sides 7 and 8 in any suitable manner, in this instance tongues 14 and 15 on the sides 7 and 8 respectively are arranged to be receivable in slots 16 and 17 on adjacent sides of the bottom 11, the ends of the tongues 14 and 15 being bent over to clamp the bottom 11 against the lower ends of the sides 7 and 8. Ears 18 and 19 are integral 100 with the panels 9 and 10 respectively and project outward from the inner edges thereof at substantially right angles thereto. Fingers and 21 project upward from the ears 1S and 19, lie in the same plane and leave spaces 22 and 23 between the inner edges thereof and the panels 9 and 10. The upper-ends 2a and 25 of the fingers 20 and 21' are bent toward each other through substantially a right angle and are either connected by means ofa tongue 26 and groove 27, or in any other suitable or desirec manner.

In order to permit a box of matches 28 to be extracted from the bottom of the pile held between the back wall 6, the side walls 7 and 8 and the front panels 9 and 10, as shown in Fig. 2, a space is left between the lower ends of the front panels 9 and 10 and the bottom 11 of sufficient width to permit the box of matches to pass between tne bottom 11 and the two panels. Openings and 30 are formed in the lower front corner of the side walls 7 and 8 adjoining the space between the bottom 11 and the front panels 9 and 10, these open ings exposing a portion of each end of the match box 28 so that the box may be grasped at each end by the fingers of the user in re moving it from the container.

In the particular instance shown the ears 18 and 19 are formed at the lower end of the panels 9 and 10. It will be obvious, however, that these ears may be formed at any point along the vertical edges of the panels 9 and 10. It may be advantageous to form the ears 18 and 19 atpoints further up along the front panels 9 and 10 when the back 6, the side walls 7 and 8 and the panels 9 and 10 are made in greater length than shown in the accompanying drawings, as when they are made to con tain say 15 or 20 boxes of matches.

A box of matches is positioned upon the holder in a manner which will be quite obvious with the top 31 and the bottom 32 of the match box placed on the forward side of the fingers 20 and 21, and in the spaces 22 and 23 respectively, as shown in Fig. 2, the sliding container 33 of the match box, within which the matches are held, being moved upward, as shown in this figure, thus exposing the matches in the portion 33 on the front side of the container and holder so that they may be readily removed by the user.

The manner .in which the flat sheet metal blank stamped as shown in Fig. 8, is formed to produce the device will be obvious, right angle bends being formed along the dotted lines shown in this figure. Openings 3 1 and 35 in the back 11 shown in Fig. 3 are arranged to receive the heads of screws, nails or the like placed in the wall or upon some suitable object for securing the device thereto.

It will be apparent that the cost of constructing the device is relatively small since it is formed from a single piece of sheet metal. An opening is provided between the panel 9 and the panel 10 so that the boxes of matches resting in the container are visible to the user from the front of the device. The arrangement is such as to permit successive boxes to be removed from the bottom of the stack, the next succeeding box dropping down into a position to be removed, the opening between the panels permitting the user to know at all times the number of boxes still remaining in the container.

The cars 19 and 20 project outward from the panels 9 andv 10 at substantially right angles and are interconnected by means of the portions 24 and 25. This interconnection prevents .lateral displacement of the ears when a match box is placed over the fingers 20 and 21 and lends rigidity to the front of the device. It will be observed that downward pressure on the match box tends to force the ears 18 and 19 outward and downward. This movement is, however, resisted to a great degree because of the pressure being applied against the edges of the ears rather than against the sides of the ears. Thus when the user grasps the match box'positioned upon the holder and exerts a downward force thereon in striking the match against the side of thebox, the ears 18 and 19 will not be displaced and bent out of shape as is the case in holders wherein the aressure is against the side of the metal rather than the edge. It will be seen that because of this structure, which lends greater strength and rigidity to the device, sheet metal of lighter welght may be used than would otherwise be possible, thus further reducing the cost of manufacture.

WV hen this device is firmly secured to the wall or other support in the kitchen of a home, restaurant, dining room or' the like, it will be possible and convenient for the user to light a match therefrom by using but a single hand. At the same time the box of matches in use is always maintained at a definite and fixed point thus preventing the box from being continually lost or displaced as is common with this type of match. Further, but a single box of matches is in use at one time and this box is completely consumed before another box is opened. When the box of matches on the holder is completely consumed a second box is ready and handy and may be conveniently positioned upon the holder in place of the first. This is in counter-distinction to the old method wherein it was necessary when a box was exhausted to go to a remote point of supply and secure a second box or to maintain a plurality of boxes at the point of use which was unsightly E5 and resulted in a portion of the matches being used from each box whereby all might become exhausted at substantially the same time.

While I have thus described and illustrated a specific embodiment of my invention I am "aware that numerous alterations and changes may be made therein Without materially departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims; in which I claim:

1. The combination in a match box con tainer and holder of side walls, a back wall,

and a bottom integral therewith, front panels integral with said side walls, having oppositely spaced inner edges, said walls and panels forming a container to support a vertical row of match boxes upon said bottom,

and a holder secured to said panels at right angles thereto to hold a box of matches open for use, the whole constituting a single piece of sheet metal.

2. In a one piece sheet metal match box container and holder, the combination with a rectangular container, having a bottom, a back, and side walls integral therewith, of front panels, one integral with each of said side walls and extending a portion of the distance across the front of said container parallel with said back wall, to provide oppositely spaced inner edges, a holder integral with said panels and connected thereto at said edges substantially at right angles to said panels, whereby downward pressure on said holder exerts a pressure against the edge of the sheet metal forming said holder.

8. The combination in a one piece match box container and holder, of a container having a bottom, a back, side walls, and front panels parallel with saidback spaced from said bottom to permit a box of matches to be removed from the bottom of a stack thereof supported within said container, said panels providing oppositely spaced inner edges, of a holder integral with said container comprising, an ear integral with each of said panels extending from the inner edges thereof at right angles to said panels, and fingers projecting upward from said ears interconnected at their ends, to receive and hold a match box in an open position. a

In witness of the foregoing I afiix my signature.

GUST A. ANDERSON. 

